Little Boots

Victoria Hesketh, known professionally as Little Boots, functions as a British vocalist, composer, DJ, and independent label proprietor whose dance-focused work merges emotive qualities with occasional playfulness across synthy 1980s new wave textures, disco grooves, and classic house foundations. A performer shaped by jazz sensibilities during adolescence, she first surfaced as part of the all-female dance-punk ensemble Dead Disco in the mid-2000s. Once creative divergences ended that endeavor, she resurfaced under the Little Boots banner with the release of her catchy electronic cut "Stuck on Repeat." The ensuing full-length Hands secured a Top Five placement on the U.K. albums chart. In the years since, she has expanded her sonic range through references to 1970s disco while inaugurating her own imprint, On Repeat.

Born in Blackpool, Lancashire, during 1984, Hesketh began piano instruction at age five and later studied classical voice. In high school she started writing original material and, at sixteen, entered the televised singing contest Pop Idol for a short stint. After elimination in round three, she refined her abilities via work in a jazz trio and with the National Jazz Youth Orchestra. She obtained a degree from the University of Leeds while performing as a hotel lounge singer. During her university period she also assembled the all-female dance-punk group Dead Disco, which issued four singles before dissolving.

Following the split from Dead Disco, Hesketh turned to solo work and adopted the stage name Little Boots. Her initial release under this pseudonym, "Stuck on Repeat," emerged as a dancefloor favorite produced by Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard on limited-edition white-label 12-inch vinyl. It arrived in early 2008 and was succeeded in August by the restricted 7-inch "Meddle," again helmed by Goddard with assistance from Greg Kurstin of the Bird and the Bee. Her debut album Hands appeared in 2009 on Atlantic Records and reached number five on the U.K. albums chart. The Illuminations EP followed later that year. She also undertook a U.S. promotional tour that included a Coachella appearance. In 2011 she issued the mixtape Shake Until Your Heart Breaks and performed the material as a DJ at clubs internationally; another mixtape, Into the Future, surfaced in 2012.

After completing promotional obligations for her first album, Hesketh left Atlantic and co-founded her own On Repeat label with longtime associate Lauren Verge. Her second studio album, Nocturnes, arrived on the imprint in 2013 and featured production input from Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford and Hercules & Love Affair’s Andy Butler. Powered by the single "Shake," it debuted at number 45 on the British albums chart. Further singles such as "Every Night I Say a Prayer" and "Broken Record" appeared subsequently.

Across the next two years Hesketh prepared her third full-length effort, Working Girl, released in 2015. Prior to that album she delivered the 2014 EP Business Pleasure, which included the single "Taste It." Both releases drew from disco and house idioms while reflecting her experiences establishing and operating her label. The album title partially referenced the 1988 Melanie Griffith comedy-drama. Production collaborators encompassed Ariel Rechtshaid, Grades, Com Truise, and others. Singles featured on the record comprised "Better in the Morning," "No Pressure," and "Get Things Done." It peaked at number eight on the U.K. independent albums chart. She followed with the EPs After Hours in 2016 and Burn in 2018.